Three years after Suzanne Morphew vanished, her husband and daughters recount being charged with murder – now dropped – and effects of her absence on the family
Suzanne Morphew’s daughters and husband Barry broke their silence three years after she vanished and murder charges against him were dropped
Mother-of-two Suzanne Morphew, 49, vanished without a trace after setting off from her home in Salida, Colorado on a Mother’s Day bike ride three years ago
Morphew claims she ‘made bad decisions’ because she was on ‘chemotherapy and drugs’
Barry Morphew, 55, was charged in May 2021 with murder of his wife Suzanne
The murder charges were dropped,a year later, in May 2022, for prosecutorial violations, and cops are yet to find the body
Morphew filed a $15million federal civil rights lawsuit against more than 20 prosecutors and law enforcement officials
He’s suing defendant’s for ‘irreparably’ tarnishing his ‘name and reputation’ with a ‘conspiracy to violate his state and federal constitutional rights’
Barry Morphew breaks down discussing the ordeal of trial by public after he was charged for murdering his wife. Suzanne Morphew seen with him [left], vanished while on a bike ride on Mother’s Day 2020. The murder charges were dropped in May 2022
Colorado dad Barry Morphew, husband of missing mom Suzanne Morphew and his daughters recently broke their silence on the three year odyssey of her of her vanishing, being accused of her murder, the charges being dropped a year after his arrest. Still, her body has never being found.
Barry Morphew, 55, was charged in May 2021 with the murder of his wife Suzanne, 49, who vanished while on a bike ride in Salida, Colorado, on Mother’s Day 2020. Her body has never been found.
Last year, prosecutors dropped all charges against Morphew after a judge sanctioned the district attorney’s office for discovery violations.
Mother-of-two Suzanne Morphew, [photo], vanished without a trace after setting off from her home in Salida, Colorado on a Mother’s Day bike ride three years ago
Barry Morphew [left], the husband of missing Colorado mum Suzanne Morphew, [right], has since filed a civil rights lawsuit seeking $15M claiming he was wrongfully charged with his wife’s disappearance and murder
Now, he and his daughters have spoken out about their plight.
He explains how Suzanne had made ‘bad decisions’ because she was struggling with drugs and chemotherapy while battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
When asked about Suzanne, Barry told ABC on Monday morning: ‘We had a wonderful life, a wonderful marriage. She was just so loving and giving, and such a good mother.
‘I know that she was going through chemotherapy for the last couple years before her disappearance.
‘I know she was going through some hard things and made some bad decisions. She was really having trouble with the chemotherapy and the drugs.’
The couple had two daughters together, before Suzanne vanished on Mother’s Day in 2020
Barry Morphew arriving at court in Salida, Colorado, for a 2020 hearing ahead of his murder trial. Barry was flanked by his daughters Macy [left] and Malorie [right], as he walked into court
Barry Morphew said that his heart was ‘broken’ when he found out his wife was having an affair with a man who she went to high school with.
A visibly upset Morphew said: ‘My heart was broken. I didn’t believe it.’
The couple’s daughters Mallory and Macy told ABC the ordeal has left them: ‘Very very sad. Very confused. So traumatic. Literally our worst nightmare.’
Defending himself when asked if he had anything to do with the disappearance of his wife, Morphew said: ‘Absolutely not. It’s very hurtful to lose your reputation and your integrity.’
Standing with their father, the women were asked if they ever questioned if their dad was not innocent. Mallory responded: ‘I’ve never had a shred of doubt.’ Macy added: ‘Not one.’
The family huddled together and hugged amid their tears during the interview.
Slamming the prosecutors, who believed that Barry was involved with his wife’s disappearance, he reiterated: ‘They’re wrong. They’ve got tunnel vision.
‘They looked at one person and they’ve got too much pride to say they’re wrong and look somewhere else.’
When asked what the hardest part has been, her daughter simply said: ‘Just not having mom.
‘It’s really difficult especially because of the lack of closure we have.’
Barry Morphew flanked by daughters Mallory [right] and Macy [left], break their silence following the disappearance of their mom in May 2021. The father-of-two was charged with her murder. The charges were dropped against the dad-of-two
After Suzanne vanished on Mother’s Day in May 2020 from their Salida home, sparking a huge search and rescue effort, Barry Morphew’s issued a series of tearful pleas for her return, but soon became embroiled in the police investigation, after the Colorado Bureau of Investigation officials had descended on the home just three days after Suzanne went missing.
In May 2021, a year after Suzanne disappeared, Morphew was arrested and charged with her murder – despite police not having found a body.
After Barry was charged with murder and the case against him progressed, authorities revealed intimate details about their married life.
Suzanne had been having an affair with someone she met in high school, Jeff Libler, while Barry was signed up to online affair websites.
Barry Morphew says his heart was ‘broken’ on discovering his wife was having an affair, while he admitted that she made some mistakes while she was having cancer treatment.
Relief: Barry Morphew with his two daughters on April 19 2022, after murder charges against him were dropped
The family huddled together and hugged during their interview with ABC. As they were asked if they ever questioned if their dad was not innocent, Mallory said: ‘I’ve never had a shred of doubt.’ Macy added: ‘Not one’
In May 2021, Barry Morphew was charged with his wife’s. Prosecutors alleged that he learned his wife had been having a two-year affair with one of her high school classmates, Jeff Libler. Those charges were dropped a year later
When the case was still active, it was revealed that Suzanne, Barry and Libler appeared in the local paper together in 1985.
The men in Suzanne Morphew’s life both attended the same high school as Suzanne, with Barry two grades ahead of his wife and Libler at the Alexandria-Monroe High School in Alexandria, Indiana.
At a preliminary hearing in 2021, law enforcement officials presented to the court Suzanne’s text message exchanges with her lover, in which she told him she had a fine night and was looking at houses for sale.
When asked what the hardest part of the last three years has been, her daughters simply said: ‘Just not having mom’
Pictured, FBI and CBI officials at the scene in 2020. Morphew’s lawsuit claims investigators and prosecutors withheld evidence of DNA from an alleged sex offender found in Suzanne’s property
Barry’s defense team previously filed a lawsuit against 26 individuals in the investigation and prosecution of the case, alleging they intentionally with held evidence found at the crime scene
When her husband came home from work that day, he found Suzanne sunbathing in the yard. She was sending photos of herself to Libler via LinkedIn, which the couple had been using to communicate behind her husband’s back.
The court was then shown a photo of Suzanne that she had sent to Libler that day, which depicted her laying on her front in a bikini and smiling.
Barry would later tell investigators his wife looked ‘drunk’ in that photo, which officials said was Suzanne’s last proof of life.
The following day, Libler wished Suzanne Happy Mother’s Day and said he knew it would be a hard day for her because she missed her mother. Suzanne never replied.
His last known text to Suzanne was sent on May 11, 2020, in which he offered her well wishes for her cancer treatment. That message also went unanswered.
Suzanne had survived two battles with Hodgkin’s lymphoma decades apart.
The hearing in 2021 also revealed that just days prior, Suzanne texted her husband and apparently signaled to him her intention to end their rocky marriage, which was marked by accusations of infidelity and abuse.
‘I’m done,’ Suzanne wrote to Barry on May 6. ‘I could care less what you’re up to and have been for years. We just need to figure this out civilly.’
Barry Morphew was accused of murdering his wife, Suzanne, [couple seen in their wedding portrait], who went missing on Mother’s Day in 2020. Her body has never been found
As part of the discovery, it has been revealed that Suzanne suspected her husband of being unfaithful to her and even purchased a spy pen to snoop on him.
Barry insisted to his wife that he was not cheating on her, writing in one text: ‘I promise you, you are wrong about all the crazy thoughts about me. Why would I want another, only a fool would stray from an angel like you.’
Police said the pair had a tumultuous marriage, with the suggestion being that he might have killed her out of jealousy or to stop her from filing for a divorce.
But last year, the charges were suddenly dropped without prejudice by Assistant District Attorney Linda Stanley.
Morphew has filed a $15million federal civil rights lawsuit against more than 20 prosecutors and law enforcement officials for ‘irreparably’ tarnishing his ‘name and reputation’ with a ‘conspiracy to violate his state and federal constitutional rights.’
The 185-page complaint claims that the authorities conspired to wrongly arrest Morphew, that they fabricated evidence, concealed exculpatory evidence and conducted a reckless investigation, all which led to Morphew being wrongly prosecuted.
Barry Morphew was arrested in May 2021, a year after Suzanne disappeared, and charged with her murder – despite police not having found a body
As result of the Defendants’ conduct Barry was charged, arrested, and prosecuted, and his property seized, for a crime he did not commit,’ the lawsuit says.
‘As result of the Defendants’ conduct Barry spent five months in jail, approximately 6 more months wearing a GPS ankle monitor with severe restrictions on his movement, and almost a year defending against the criminal charges. To this date, Barry’s property remains in the CCSD’s possession.’
The lawsuit claims that Morphew’s ‘name and reputation has been irreparably tarnished in Colorado and all around the country.’
Those named in the lawsuit including Chaffee County, the sheriff’s office and board of commissioners, 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley and her staff, and Colorado Bureau of Investigation and FBI agents.
Barry Morphew, [right], has said he was away on a training course for his job as a volunteer firefighter in Denver, Colorado, when Suzanne [left], vanished in early May 2020. However, cops initially claimed that he killed her with a dart gun filled with animal tranquilizer’
Morphew murder trial was scheduled for a full trial beginning May 1 but it was dramatically halted a week prior when prosecutors announced they were withdrawing the case.
The judge due to preside over the trial banned the prosecution from using a series of witnesses on the grounds of discovery violations.
The case was then dismissed without prejudice, despite objections from the defense, which means it could still be re-filed should new evidence come to light.
Investigators at the time said they were close to finding Suzanne’s remains and were waiting for snow in the search area to thaw. However, while the snow since thawed, Suzanne Morphew’s body has still not been found.
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